New state

In world politics too, sometimes dreams come true. South Sudan is independent, after almost 50 years of war. As the new nation's citizens celebrate by waving flags of the world's youngest country in the capital, Juba, there is ample reason for us to be happy for them. It's hard to imagine what these people have been through: two million have died, while four million have been displaced, spending decades in cramped camps in Kenya, Uganda or Ethiopia. Many have suffered hunger and sickness. Until the 2005 peace agreement, the idea that they could one day be living in an independent state was nothing but a distant dream.

A difficult legacy

However, as South Sudan celebrates, warnings can already be heard from outside the country, because the young state has a tough legacy to deal with. Fifty years of war have taken their toll: Half of the population is living below the poverty line; more than 70 percent are illiterate; 80 percent have no access to sanitary facilities. All these factors make the new country a prime candidate to join the club of the world's most impoverished nations.

In political terms too, South Sudan has a long way to go. Currently, former rebels of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) govern the country. The opposition is small and has little power. One of the central questions is whether the SPLM will be able to turn itself into a democratic party that elects its leadership democratically and respects the constitution. Or, will it go the way of other freedom movements and set up a one-party dictatorship? Nobody can answer this question at this point. Another decisive factor in South Sudan's future is whether the SPLM will be able to reach agreements with the many armed militias that serve to destabilize entire regions of the country. Also, nobody knows whether the conflict with the north will break out again – the conflict in the region of Abyei showed how sensitive relations between the two countries continue to be.

A common goal

Yes, these are enough ingredients to create a failed state. That's a fate that certainly could threaten South Sudan. However, there is also the other side of the story: the returning academics, the dedicated church representatives, journalists and teachers who want to build up this new state. What unites many people is the will to build up a functioning state. Despite all the justifiable warnings, these people deserve the respect and support of foreign lands. In any case, the South Sudanese do have one thing: the right to be happy and celebrate their new country. All that's left for the international community to do is to congratulate them and wish them all the best for the future.

Author: Danie Pelz / pfd
Editor: Toma Tasovac